


Janine 2.0

by LuvBusters



Category: Real Ghostbusters
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Language, Torture, sexual innuendo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 04:00:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16077953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuvBusters/pseuds/LuvBusters
Summary: Janine seems a little different. Is she able to heal quickly from previous injuries or is there something more serious going on?





	1. Busted Busters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Janine are recovering from injuries that happened during an earlier bust.

There are times when it’s necessary for the Ghostbusters to use their secretary Janine Melnitz as an extra Ghostbuster. Sometimes the calls are intense and they need an extra person to help. However, after the last time Janine helped them out last week, she’s been placed back on strictly desk work. She had cracked two ribs and sprained her left ankle while helping Peter chase down a nasty Class 6. The building they were in had a weak spot in the floor. The ghost had led Peter and Janine upstairs. The combined weight of two Busters with proton packs was too much; the floor gave way. Peter had also suffered a dislocated shoulder and pulled a muscle in his back. So, he had also been parked behind his desk (or the couch). Fortunately, they hadn’t received any majorly big calls in the last couple of days. 

Janine slowly hobbled in this particular morning. Egon was already downstairs looking for a file. He turned when he heard Janine’s slow, unsteady footsteps.

“Good morning, Janine,” Egon greeted her, concerned about the fact that she was not using anything to help her walk. 

“Hi Egon,” Janine greeted with her usual smile and starry eyed look.

“I wish you would use a crutch or something,” Egon said. “And if you didn’t wear high heels..”

Janine grinned. “If you think I’m gonna do all that, then you’re crazy! A girl’s still gotta look good, even if she is broken up a bit.” 

Egon blushed and smiled. “At least let me help you,” he said while holding her desk chair steady. 

Janine carefully sat down. “Thanks, Egon. Whatcha looking for?”

“The file on that Class 6 from last week. I’m working on adjusting the PKE meter to be able to detect entities of that strength earlier; hopefully, that will give us more time to properly prepare for facing it. Therefore, giving us the upper hand in trapping it faster.”

“Oh, that sounds like a great idea!” Janine gushed, causing Egon to blush more. “It’s in this drawer, should be the third file back,” she said, pointing to the proper filing cabinet drawer. 

Egon smiled as he quickly located the file. It never ceased to amaze him how Janine can keep up with the many files she deals with in their business.

“Thank you. How do you keep up with all of this?” Egon asked, genuinely curious.

It was Janine’s turn to blush. She smiled. “Well, that’s my job. I’d say that’s what Dr. V pays me the big bucks for but it’s really just bucks,” she giggled after.

Egon returned her smile. “Are you ready for your morning coffee? I can get it for you,” he offered.

Janine’s smile widened. “Yeah! That’d be great! Thanks! You know how I take it?”

“Coffee filled three fourths to the top, French vanilla creamer the remaining fourth, approximately one quarter sugar,” Egon replied, adjusting his glasses.

“Wow! That’s more detailed than I expected but yeah!” Janine said. “I should’ve known I wouldn’t get a plain answer; that’s what I get when a physicist makes my coffee,” Janine thought to herself with a sly grin.

Egon returned in a few minutes with Janine’s coffee, fixed exactly as she likes it.

Janine couldn’t help but ask: “How do you know how I like my coffee in such detail?”

Egon blushed slightly. “I am extremely observant and also have a nearly eidetic memory.”

Janine smiled mischievously, “Um-hum,” she trailed off, not believing that was the only reason Egon remembers things like that. But she wasn’t going to call him out on it...this time.

Egon turned to go to the lab. “Let me know if you need anything,” he offered. 

“You’ll be the first to know,” Janine purred, giving Egon a playful wink. 

Egon blushed yet again and quickly went to the lab.

~~~  
Peter made his way downstairs, his arm in a sling from where his shoulder had been dislocated. He saw Janine working at her desk.

“Morning Melnitz,” he greeted Janine.

Janine gave Peter a playful smirk. “Morning Dr. V, how ya doin?”

“Eh,” Peter muttered, shrugging his good shoulder. “Be glad when I can ditch this damn sling.”

Janine nodded. “Yeah, I bet.”

“How are you?” Peter asked.

“Breathing is painful with these cracked ribs, but I’ll manage,” Janine replied.

Peter laughed. “Yeah, try to keep it to a minimum,” he joked playfully, giving Janine a mischievous grin. 

She grinned back at him, using her left middle finger to push her glasses back up her nose.

Another two weeks passed; Peter’s shoulder had healed to the point where he could get rid of the sling; Janine’s ribs were healing well and she wasn’t hobbling as bad since her ankle was feeling better.

Peter had returned to going out on calls, but still wasn’t using a proton pack. He was in charge of the traps. 

“Man, this sucks!” Peter complained. 

“At least you’re out of the sling,” Winston said.

“Yeeeaaahhhh,” Peter drawled. 

Egon was watching his modified PKE meter; it was starting to register another Class 6. “We need to get ready; I believe we’re about to encounter another Class 6 as before a few weeks ago.”

The guys powered up, keeping a sharp eye out for the ghost. 

“Any idea from which direction?” Ray asked.

Egon studied the meter. “To the East,” he pointed. 

Sure enough, a few moments later, the ghost showed itself. The guys were ready and were able to trap the ghost quickly.

“Way to go, Big Guy! Your new PKE meter worked!” Peter congratulated Egon.

Egon grinned.

“At least nobody got hurt this time!” Ray pointed out.

As they returned to the Firehouse, they noticed Janine wasn’t at her desk. While not completely unusual, she doesn’t normally leave her desk area until the guys get back from calls.

Ray was the first to notice. “Wonder where Janine went?”

“Probably the bathroom. Takes her longer to move these days,” Peter chuckled. 

As they were unloading their equipment, Janine reappeared, coming back up from the basement. 

“Hey guys!” she said. “Just checking the containment unit.”

Egon frowned. “Janine, I’ve told you that I’ll take care of that. You shouldn’t be straining your ankle on those stairs.”

“Yeah, and while we’re gone?!” Winston chided.

Janine rolled her eyes. “Ah, come on guys. I’m not an invalid, ya know?”

“Just don’t worry about it for now,” Egon reminded her.

Janine shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever. I’m headed home if you guys have everything under control?”

“Yeah, see ya tomorrow, Red,” Peter said.

Janine shut down her computer and gathered her things. Egon couldn’t help but notice how it seemed that Janine had a bit more of a normal stride as she left.


	2. New and Improved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys are noticing something is new with Janine.

The next morning, Janine arrived at work. She was walking a lot better considering the extent of her injuries a little more than a week ago. 

Ray was in the kitchen getting the coffee started. Janine came in, putting her lunch that she brought from home in the fridge. 

“Hey Ray!” She said enthusiastically.

Ray smiled. “Good morning Janine! You’re very cheerful this morning.”

“Yeah, feeling a lot better,” Janine replied. 

Janine then stepped over to the cupboard, tiptoeing and reaching up to get a coffee mug. Ray noticed that she seemed to be able to raise her arm quite well considering she had two cracked ribs in the process of healing.

“Seems like your ribs are healing pretty fast,” Ray said.

Janine winced slightly as she brought the mug down. “Eh, just trying to work through the pain,” she replied.

“Well, don’t overdo it. Let us know if you need anything,” Ray reminded her.

“Will do, thanks Ray,” Janine gave his arm a little squeeze as she took her coffee downstairs.

Ray smiled, thinking to himself, “She’s too independent sometimes.”

~~~  
Janine was settling in at her desk. As she sat down, she noticed Peter was standing next to Ecto-1 looking through the back area.

“Um, Dr. V, what are you doing?” Janine asked, curious. “You’re not hiding tools from Winston again, are you?”

“Nah, just trying to find something I can use as a dumbbell,” Peter replied.

“There’s sooooo much I could say there,” Janine thought. She smiled. “Good, cause that really pissed him off last time.”

Peter, disappointed that he couldn’t find anything, headed towards the stairs. “Guess I’ll have to use some canned soup or something,” he mumbled.

“If you need something to help strengthen your shoulder where it was dislocated, I could bring you my hand weights from home,” Janine offered. 

“That’d be great, thanks Janine!” Peter said.

“I have a set of five pounds and a set of ten pounds. I think you should start off with the five pounds,” Janine said. 

“Sounds good. Since when did you work out?” Peter asked.

Janine gave him an evil grin. “I’ve played racquetball for years. A girl has to stay in shape, ya know?”

Peter rolled his eyes, then continued upstairs.

A short while later, a middle aged man walked into the Firehouse. He was well dressed, likely a businessman. He was dressed in a dark blue three piece suit with a burgundy tie. He had short salt and pepper hair with a beard and mustache. 

Janine’s eyes widened as she watched him walk confidently up to her desk. “Damn! If he has a British accent, I’m gonna spontaneously combust!” She thought to herself.

“Good morning,” the man greeted Janine.

Peter was sitting at his desk in the area behind Janine’s desk. He had his feet propped up on his desk reading the newspaper. Realizing a potential client had walked in, he listened while still holding the paper up.

“Good morning, how can I help you, sir?” Janine asked. 

Peter thought, “Well, she’s being quite cordial. Not using her usual greeting of ‘what do YOU want?’”

He stood up and peeked around the filing cabinet to catch a peek of this man. He took one look, then settled back in his desk chair. “Hmph, not really her type,” he thought to himself. “Spengs probably doesn’t have anything to worry about...unless he has a British accent.”

The man continued, “I’m looking for the Ghostbusters. I believe I have an issue of the paranormal sort.” (He did NOT have a British accent, just very professional)

“Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place,” Janine said. “Why don’t you give me the details, and I’ll get the team together for you?”

“My name is Roland Reynolds. I own and operate a gentlemen’s club on the Upper East Side Of New York. During the past few days, the employees have noticed odd things happening around the place,” the man explained.

Janine struggled to not roll her eyes when she heard the type of business this man owned. 

Peter, on the other hand, struggled to not fall out of his chair.

Mr. Reynolds continued, “At first, it was small things, like small jewelry accessories missing, which of course, the girls blamed each other for. But then, items were seen floating in mid air. Then yesterday, one of my girls said she felt someone push her down the stairs. But she knew for a fact that she had been alone. Thankfully, she wasn’t seriously injured.”

“Well, it does sound like a possible poltergeist,” Janine stated. “Let me get the guys in on this.”

Instead of yelling over the filing cabinets like she usually does, Janine picked up the phone, buzzing Peter’s desk. 

Peter, deciding to play along with her professional persona, picked up the receiver on his desk. “Yes, Ms. Melnitz?”

“Dr. Venkman, could you step over please? We have a client who needs your services.”

“Certainly,” Peter replied. He hung up the phone and stepped over to Janine’s desk.

He walked towards Mr. Reynolds, extending his hand. “Dr. Venkman,” he shook the man’s hand.

“Mr. Reynolds,” he greeted Peter. “I was just telling your receptionist here about the trouble I’m having with my business. I own and operate The Porcelain Dolls.”

It took every ounce of Peter’s willpower to not drool. “What kind of problems are you having?”

Mr. Reynolds gave Peter the same explanation that he had given Janine. 

“Well, that certainly does sound like something we can help you with,” Peter said with a warm smile.

He then turned to Janine. “Ms. Melnitz, would you please get Dr. Spengler, Dr. Stantz and Mr. Zeddemore?”

“Yes, Dr. Venkman.” Janine picked up the phone and buzzed the intercom in the lab. 

“Yes, Janine?” Egon answered.

“Dr. Spengler, could you join Dr. Venkman downstairs please? And bring Dr. Stantz and Mr. Zeddemore?”

Egon, confused as to why Janine was being so professional, replied, “Um, yes. We’ll be down in just a moment.” 

Egon went to the rec room to get Ray and Winston. “Hmm,” he thought to himself, “must be a city official down there.” He then frowned, hoping it wasn’t Mr. Peck making an unannounced visit.

Egon, Ray and Winston arrived downstairs. Peter introduced them to Mr. Reynolds. 

“Mr. Reynolds owns and operates The Porcelain Dolls,” Peter said, wiggling his eyebrows. He was standing behind Mr. Reynolds so he wasn’t able to see Peter’s facial expressions.

Peter brought the others up to speed on the situation. 

“I definitely think there’s something we can do to help you, Mr. Reynolds,” Peter said. “We will head over there as soon as possible to investigate.”

“Thank you, gentlemen,” Mr. Reynolds said. “I will compensate you generously for your efforts. Can I expect you this afternoon around 1:00? That’s the best time to take a look around the building before the employees show up.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll see you then,” Peter agreed.

With that, Mr. Reynolds turned and left. 

As soon as he had closed the door, Peter let out a growl. “Holy shit! I can’t believe how this day is shaping up!”

Janine as well as the other guys all rolled their eyes. 

Peter looked at the other Busters. “Oh come on. You can’t tell me none of you are even slightly excited about this?!”

Winston started showing a faint sign of twinkle in his eyes. “Well, I’d be lying if I said no.”

Ray grinned, a slight blush spreading across his cheeks. “Yeah, we don’t get an opportunity like this very often.”

Peter smiled, then looked over at Egon. 

Without moving her head, Janine’s eyes shifted to look at Egon.

He was standing there, blushing profusely, and seemed to be pondering very carefully what to say. His eyes kept shifting back and forth, from Peter to Janine.

“I..ah..I don’t really....I don’t understand...it doesn’t make sense to me why a ghost would cause problems at a...umm....ahem...strip club,” Egon practically choked out the words. 

“Maybe this ghost is kinky?” Janine stated, flatly. 

Egon, relieved that there didn’t seem to be any angry or sarcastic tones to her voice, visibly relaxed. 

Peter slapped his hands together. “Alright then, let’s start getting our gear together!”

“It’s only 9:30, Peter,” Ray said.

“We have to make sure we have everything we need,” Peter replied. 

Winston and Ray rolled their eyes, headed back upstairs. 

Peter ran to the bathroom to freshen up while Egon remained by Janine’s desk.

Janine looked at him over the top of her glasses. “Yes, Dr. Spengler?”

Egon hesitated, thinking Janine’s professional attitude was a sign of her pending wrath.

“I..um..just wanted...you to know...that..I..I’m not exactly looking forward to this....assignment,” Egon stuttered. 

Janine smiled. “It’s just a job, Egon. Nothing more,” she replied. She then returned to typing up the notes from a previous bust.

Egon returned to the lab. He was almost disappointed. It was times like these that he almost wanted Janine to show some sort of emotion; something to prove that she gave a damn about the possibility of him being in the same vicinity as highly attractive strippers. 

“Usually by now, she would’ve made some sort of remark,” he thought to himself. Shrugging, he resumed work on his project until time to prepare for the investigation.


	3. The Porcelain Dolls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Busters investigate the site of the latest disturbance.

Peter was as excited as a kid at Christmas. He could barely sit still as he sat next to Egon in the backseat of Ecto-1.

Winston laughed. “Pete, you’d better calm down, man. Save that energy for the ghost!”

Ray grinned. He was slightly nervous; strip clubs weren’t exactly his speed. But Peter’s excitement was contagious.

Egon was the only one who didn’t seem to be phased by the situation. 

Peter needed to find out exactly how human Egon was. “Spengs, please! How can you not be excited about this?! I mean, I know you’re not big on showing emotions and all, but COME ON!! These are strippers! And I don’t mean the cheap ones; these are truly classy ladies!”

Egon calmly looked at Peter. He adjusted his glasses before he spoke. “I do not believe it is appropriate for men to gawk at women who engage in such activities.”

Peter chuckled, then showed his classic Cheshire-like grin. “You wouldn’t think that if it was Janine giving you a show like that!”

Winston and Ray shared a wide eyed look. Winston mouthed to Ray, “Damn!”

Egon’s face blushed but not in an embarrassed way, instead, he was angry. Peter actually sank back a bit in the seat, scooting away from Egon just a bit.

“Hey Spengs, I’m sorry,” Peter apologized.

Egon’s face returned to normal color, his jaws visibly unclenching. “I’m sorry too, Peter. I’m just...confused about Janine’s reaction. Or lack of,” his voice trailed off. 

Peter smiled, understanding Egon’s frustration. “He’s upset that she’s not jealous!” Peter thought to himself. But he decided to not call him out on it.

“It’s ok, Spengs. I’m sure she’s just trying to take it easy; you know, her ribs are still giving her hell, I’m sure.”

Ray chimed in. “I don’t know, Peter. She seemed to be making a fast recovery to me. She didn’t have much problems getting a coffee mug down earlier this morning.”

“She’s probably been exercising at home,” Peter said. “She’s gonna loan me some of her hand weights to help me get my shoulder back in shape.”

Soon after, Ecto-1 pulled into the parking area for The Porcelain Dolls. Peter was the first out of the vehicle, closely followed by Winston and Ray. Egon brought up the rear at his usual pace. 

Mr. Reynolds met them at the front entrance. “Good afternoon, Gentlemen. Let me show you the areas where the disturbances have been sighted.”

They followed him as he walked them through the building. It was a very spacious area, with black leather lounge chairs arranged in such a way that gave the room a comfortable yet elegant feel. It was well lit but it was obvious that the lights are dimmed at night for the entertainment. 

He then led the guys to the dressing rooms. It was well lit there as well, bright lights around each vanity with plush stools in front of each mirror. There were several dressing rooms that lined the wall, with each doorway closed off with a curtain, giving each woman privacy. Lining the opposite wall were rows of beautiful, sparkling outfits for the ladies to wear. 

“The woman who was pushed said it happened over here,” Mr. Reynolds showed the guys a stairwell that exited the dressing room.

“Where does this stairwell lead?” Winston asked.

“It’s a private stairwell the ladies use when entering and exiting the building. It leads directly outside,” Mr. Reynolds said.

“Let me take some readings,” Egon suggested. 

“I’ll let you get to your work, Gentlemen. I’ll be in my office if you need anything,” Mr. Reynolds stated.

Egon walked down the stairwell taking readings with the PKE meter. Winston and Ray were scanning the rest of the area. Peter was intrigued with the surroundings, taking in every detail and no doubt fantasizing about the ladies who work here.

Egon came back from the stairwell. “I have picked up readings that indicate an entity was present.”

“Wow!” Ray exclaimed. “Still residual energy?!”

“How strong?” Winston asked.

Egon arched one eyebrow. “Class 6.”

Peter suddenly joined the conversation. “Class 6?!! Not a poltergeist?”

Egon shook his head. “No, Class 6.”

“That’s not the usual actions of a Class 6,” Ray shouted. “They’re not usually that...playful.”

“Yeah, don’t they usually drop stuff, throw things and generally do the same shit that bratty kids do?” Peter asked.

“That’s one way to describe it, but yes,” Egon said.

“How do we figure out what this one’s reason is?” Winston asked.

“I have a theory but I’m going to need to research it first,” Egon suggested. 

“Do we need to split up or regroup back at the Firehouse?” Winston asked. 

“I suggest I return to the Firehouse. The rest of you can stay here, question employees, finish investigating the area,” Egon suggested.

Peter was all smiles. “Well, if you insist.”

Egon hailed a cab and was on his way back to the Firehouse. The rest of the guys continued to scan the rest of the building and spoke with the various employees who were already there. 

As Egon entered the Firehouse, he saw Janine sitting at her desk. Apparently, she had finished her work and was enjoying the latest issue of The National Enquirer.

Egon smiled as he approached her desk, noticing her choice of reading material. “Not your usual magazine choice?” 

Janine looked up, smiling back. “Yeah, I like reading the stupid stuff from time to time,” she said. She noticed he was alone. “Decided to leave Dr. V behind, huh?”

“I have a theory I need to research; they’re still at The Porcelain Dolls,” Egon said, rolling his eyes. He started to head upstairs, then had another theory he wanted to test.

“Um..I will have to return there shortly,” Egon said, hesitating to watch Janine’s reaction. 

She had resumed looking through her magazine. Without looking up, she said, non-chalantly, “Ok.”

Egon headed to his lab, the same feeling of disappointment returning. “Maybe I should fake a reaction similar to Peter’s?” he thought. Then a more sobering thought crossed his mind. “Or maybe she truly doesn’t care anymore?” Egon thought. He shook his head, trying to rid his mind of those thoughts. He had a job to do first.


	4. The Naked Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys uncover more than they wanted to at The Porcelain Dolls. Meanwhile, Egon loses his trust in Janine.

Winston, Peter and Ray were talking to the few employees that had started their shifts at The Porcelain Dolls gentlemen’s club. So far, they had spoken to a janitor and Mr. Reynold’s secretary. Neither of them had personally witnessed the disturbances, only heard the stories among the employees.

Three of the young women who were “performers” had come in. Peter volunteered to personally interview them. 

Ray and Winston grinned, heading back to the private stairwell. 

“Something just doesn’t add up,” Ray told Winston. “Why would a Class 6 use tactics of a poltergeist? And why an upscale strip club?”

“Maybe Janine’s right,” Winston suggested. “This ghost is kinky?”

Ray shook his head. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Any idea what Egon’s up to?” Winston asked.

“Not a clue,” Ray answered. “But if he has a theory, he’s onto something.”

Meanwhile, Peter was in the dressing room area with the three ladies who had arrived for their shift.

“Ok, let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Peter said, with his usual Venkman charm. “Your name is Paige? And you’re Rachel? And you are Ashton?” He pointed to each woman as he called their names. Each woman smiled seductively.

“Which one of the ladies here was pushed?” Peter asked, slowly eyeing each woman up and down.

“That was me,” Ashton said. She was a tall woman (approximately five feet, six inches), with legs that went ALL the way up (Peter’s words), brown wavy hair that fell midway down her back and hazel eyes.

“I see,” Peter said. “And there was no one there?”

“That’s right,” Ashton replied.

Peter continued. “Well, you don’t seem to have suffered any injuries,” he said while looking her over carefully. 

“I twisted my ankle a little, but it’s ok now,” Ashton said, pointing to her right ankle. 

Peter turned to Paige and Rachel. Paige was slightly shorter with gorgeous blue eyes and long, blonde hair. Rachel was about five feet, four inches with auburn hair, curly and was draped over her shoulders. 

Peter addressed Paige. “Have you witnessed any odd disturbances?”

Paige smiled and said, “well, I’ve heard voices but it turned out that no one was there.”

He then addressed Rachel. “And you?”

Rachel gave Peter a mischievous grin and said, “I saw a shadowed figure by the door to the private stairwell.”

Peter suddenly felt a cold chill go down his spine. However, being the smooth talker he is, he didn’t let his facial expression show it. “Could you show me exactly where?”

~~~~~~  
Winston and Ray had gone outside and to the back of the building to inspect the exit to the private stairwell.

Ray was using his PKE meter to take readings. However, the meter he was using hadn’t been modified yet like Egon’s. This meter was not altered to pick up Class 6 readings prior to the entity showing itself. Ray and Winston would have to be careful. 

Winston had his thrower powered up and ready, just in case. “Anything yet, Ray?”

“Not yet,” Ray replied.

Back in the dressing room, Peter was headed towards the private stairwell when Ashton grabbed his arm. 

“Dr. Venkman,” she said in a low, sultry voice. “Are you always so professional?”

Paige and Rachel sidled up to him. 

“Yes, why don’t you have a seat and rest for a minute?” Paige suggested. 

Rachel gently pushed Peter down onto one of the vanity stools.

Peter was more than happy to take a quick break. He was surrounded by gorgeous strippers; of course he’d oblige!

The women started an impromptu strip tease for him. He folded his hands behind his head and settled in for the show, grinning from ear to ear.

~~~~  
Ray opened the door to head inside using the private stairwell, Winston following close behind. They were almost halfway up the stairs when the arms on Ray’s PKE meter raised up, then they heard a panicked voice scream.

“PETER!” yelled Ray. 

He and Winston raced up the stairs. When they got to the dressing room, they were shocked to see Rachel and Paige pinning Peter down; Ashton, who now had claws and huge fangs, was hovering over Peter, ready to slash at him.

“Hit her!” Ray shouted. 

Winston caught Ashton with his proton thrower while Ray was struggling with both Rachel and Paige.

Peter scrambled away from Ashton once Winston had her caught in the stream. He powered up his proton pack and took aim at Paige, freeing Ray up to handling just Rachel.

“Come here you damn demon bitch!” Peter screamed. He threw out a trap quickly as he wrangled the ghost in the proton stream.

Peter then skillfully lowered the ghost into the trap. 

Winston and Ray were able to get their traps ready, then successfully trapped their respective ghosts, too. 

Peter collapsed onto the floor, holding his shoulder that was still sore from the previous injury. 

Winston and Ray ran over to him. 

“Pete, you alright, man?” Winston asked.

“Yeah,” Peter said, still trying to catch his breath. “Thought I was getting my own private show,” he grinned slyly. 

“It’s a good thing you had a pack with you,” Ray said.

Peter nodded. “Yeah, Spengs wasn’t happy about it but I’m glad I had one.”

Winston frowned. “I wonder if Mr. Reynolds knows about his employees?”

Peter and Ray exchanged glances. Peter then stood up, readjusting the shoulder strap of the proton pack to hang properly on his back. 

“Well, let’s educate him,” Peter said. 

They carefully made their way to the office. Ray’s PKE meter wasn’t detecting any activity. “Maybe the guy is clean?” Ray asked.

“Maybe, But I ain’t taking any chances,” Peter said.

All three Busters had their packs on, throwers ready. As they burst through the door, Mr. Reynolds stood up from behind his desk abruptly.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” He hissed.

“Stay where you are!” Peter demanded.

Ray walked up to the man, scanning him with the PKE meter. 

“He’s clean,” Ray advised. He then went on to scan the entire office area, which also turned out to be clean.

“Care to tell me what the hell this is all about?!” Mr. Reynolds barked.

“Three of your employees were ghosts,” Winston advised. “Class 6 demons to be exact.”

Mr. Reynolds’ face paled dramatically. “Which ones?”

“Paige, Rachel and Ashton,” Peter said.

“Why?” Mr. Reynolds asked.

“Good question,” Winston said. “But we intend to find out.”

“We need to get back to the Firehouse,” Ray urged.

~~~~~  
Egon was in his lab researching information he had seen earlier while modifying his PKE meter. “Hmm,” Egon read silently. “These particular Class 6 entities have been known to use tactics of lesser ghosts/demons to confuse potential enemies.” He looked out the window while thinking to himself, “That would mean that they are capable of deceiving enemies - maybe even to the point of creating a diversion in order to obtain their true goal.”

Suddenly, Egon’s modified PKE meter started going off, alerting him that a Class 6 was in the area. 

Janine then knocked lightly on the lab door. She opened the door slightly and peeked in.

“Egon? Can I come in?” she asked. 

“Yes, of course,” Egon said. He reached over and turned down the volume on the PKE meter. 

Janine looked at the meter, then at Egon. 

Egon laid the meter down on the lab table. “I’ve got to check this thing; I think it’s malfunctioning,” he said. He looked at Janine. “What do you need?”

“I was wondering if you could come with me and check the containment unit? I think there may be a problem,” Janine said, sounding very worried.

Egon jumped up quickly. “Yes! Let’s go!”

Egon and Janine ran down to the basement. Egon didn’t see any problems. 

“Janine, what seems to be the problem? Everything appears to be fine,” Egon asked, arching an eyebrow.

Janine gave him a stern look. “A minute ago during my check, I heard a distinct buzzing sound. I thought an alarm was ready to go off.”

Egon stood for a moment, his scientific mind trying to piece together what the problem was. He then quickly headed upstairs. 

“Egon!” Janine yelled. “Come back! Shouldn’t we turn off the power to the containment unit before it explodes?!”

By this point, Egon had reached the top of the stairs. He opened the door and ran for one of the extra proton packs in the lockers. Just as he reached the locker, he heard Janine’s footsteps reaching the top of the stairs. 

He quickly strapped on the pack, powering it up. He then turned around, ready to face Janine.

Janine approached him slowly, revealing an evil leer. “What’s the matter, Egon? Seen a ghost?”


	5. Race Against Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys must find Janine before it’s too late.

Janine slowly approached Egon, revealing claws and huge fangs. Egon prepared to fire when he heard a sluggish sound whining from the pack. 

“Shit!” he shouted.

“Oh, poor baby. What’s wrong, genius? Proton pack busted?” Janine taunted.

She then lunged at Egon. He quickly removed the pack, using the thrower to hold between himself and Janine, holding her back far enough to prevent her claws from reaching him.

Just then, the other Busters barged into the Firehouse, jumping out of Ecto-1, pulling their throwers. 

“Spengs!” Peter screamed. 

“Keep it contained but don’t trap it yet!” Egon shouted.

“Are you crazy, man?!” Winston yelled.

“It’s not Janine!” Egon shouted back.

Ray, Winston and Peter held the demon in the streams as Egon had asked. 

Egon stood in front of the demon, squaring off with it eye to eye. 

“Where is Janine?!” he demanded.

The demon just laughed, “You’ll never find her. She’s probably already dead!”

“What is going on?” Ray asked the demon.

The demon just continued to laugh, taunting the men.

“WHERE IS SHE?!!” Peter yelled, losing all composure.

The demon would not give in. The guys knew that whatever was at stake, it was willing to be busted for it. 

Egon made the call. “TRAP OUT!”

Winston threw out the trap; Ray and Peter helped him lower the demon into the trap. They could still hear it’s evil laugh as the trap closed.

Winston, Ray and Peter exchanged looks, then looked at Egon. 

“We need to find Janine,” Egon said. “I’ll adjust the PKE meter to locate her biorhythms.”

Egon then looked at them. “Wait! What happened at the club?”

Peter grinned slyly. “Well, I was getting what I thought was a private show in the dressing room.”

Egon rolled his eyes but continued to listen. 

Peter continued. “Long story short, Zed and Tex saved my ass at the last minute. Three of those girls were Class 6 baddies, just like the one you had at your throat.”

Ray asked, “I can’t understand why? What does a strip club have to do with this?”

“Does Mr. Reynolds have any connection to this?” Egon asked.

“Negative. He was shocked to find out. We decided we needed to get back here, in case you’d found anything?” Winston said.

“And boy, did you find something!” Peter exclaimed.

Egon shook his head. “There’s still a lot of questions to be answered, but right now, our priority is to find Janine.”

Egon ran upstairs to the lab to get his PKE meter. He returned moments later. 

“I’ve adjusted it to pick up Janine’s biorhythms. I’ll adjust Ray’s meter to pick up any Class 6 entities ahead of time. That’s how I realized Janine wasn’t really Janine,” Egon explained. “At first, I thought the meter was malfunctioning; it alerted me to the presence of a Class 6 right before Janine entered the lab.”

Egon worked diligently on modifying the second PKE meter while he talked. “It wasn’t until Janine tried to get me to shut down the containment unit that I put everything together. I ran to get the pack but realized too late that’s the pack I need to repair. That’s why I had placed it inside the locker.”

“But that still doesn’t explain what’s going on,” Peter said.

Egon Continued. “I believe there’s something bigger going on here. But we’ll need to find the main demon for that explanation.”

Egon had finished making the adjustments to the meters. They all grabbed freshly charged proton packs and extra traps. 

“Ok,” Peter announced, “Let’s find Big J and send the rest of these demons back to hell!”

~~~~  
It was dark and damp. Her face was wet, too. Sweat? Water? No, blood. Her blood. Her head was hurting. And her right side hurt, too. It was hard to breathe. Sharp pains radiated through her right side. 

“Oh yeah, those cracked ribs,” Janine thought to herself. “I’ve gotta keep going; gotta find a way out of here; gotta find the guys...find Egon.”

She struggled to stay awake. Janine slid her hand against the wall, trying to keep herself upright. She could hear voices, sounded far away. It wasn’t her guys’ voices. It was a hissing sound. 

“Demons,” she thought. “I’m still here with these damn demons.”


	6. A Ghostbuster’s Wrath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghostbusters find Janine, but are they in time?

Ecto-1 speeds down the streets of New York, siren blaring. Egon’s PKE meter has been adjusted to detect Janine’s biorhythms. It was leading them to the subway system at Battery Park. 

They were all on edge. They weren’t sure exactly when Janine had been taken and replaced with a Class 6 demon lookalike. They had figured at least a few days. As they all recalled different things that had changed about her, their best estimate was when they had left on a bust and she was coming back upstairs from the basement. That was two days ago.

As they pulled into the Battery Park area, the guys looked at Egon, who had been studying the PKE meter quietly, too quietly.

“Where are we headed, Spengs?” Peter asked gently.

“Down this tunnel,” Egon pointed. They geared up, powering their packs on, throwers ready. Ray’s PKE meter, modified to detect Class 6 demons ahead of time, was starting to register readings. 

They quietly entered the tunnel system. They walked for what seemed like forever. As they walked deeper into the tunnel, they reached an area that branched off in different directions. 

“Which way?” Ray asked. 

Egon studied the meter. The signal was weakening. However, the readings on Ray’s meter were getting stronger, indicating the demons were close.

“We must hurry,” urged Egon. “Janine’s biorhythms are weakening.”

They were in an area of tunnels that had been closed off for construction activity. Egon’s meter picked up Janine’s readings in the tunnel on their left. 

“We find Janine first, then we deal with the demons,” Winston suggested.

They all nodded in agreement. They took off in Janine’s direction, praying they weren’t too late.

~~~~  
Janine opened her eyes slowly. She could barely breathe, coughing from time to time. “I’ve gotta keep.....moving,” she whispered to herself. She started coughing again, this time feeling a wetness bubbling up in her throat. She spit, trying to rid her mouth of the taste. It was dimly lit by construction lights but she thought she could see a dark spot where she had spit. She tried hard to focus; then she realized it was blood. 

Then, she heard footsteps. Her heart started pounding. “This is it...,” she thought. “This is how I die.”

~~~~  
The guys turned the corner; they could see a dimly lit area just ahead.

“Looks like some of the workers left some lights running,” Winston whispered.

Egon, leading the way, stopped cold. As he lowered the meter, they all could make out a shape up ahead. 

“Janine!” Egon uttered.

They all ran, dropping to the ground beside the figure. Peter’s face twisted realizing what had happened.

Egon knelt beside Janine, gently pulling her up to his chest. Tears streamed down his face. 

“Janine,” he whispered. “It’s Egon, please, wake up.”

Janine slowly opened her eyes, afraid that she was hallucinating. “Egon?” She said weakly, reaching up to touch the side of his face. She was relieved to see that he was really there.

Winston quickly scanned her body with his eyes. From what he could see, she had several small cuts on her legs; it seemed that she had, at one point, been tied by the wrists but judging from the lacerations, Janine must have managed to get loose. Her ribs that had been cracked must have broken; he suspected a lung had been punctured, hence the blood she was coughing up. It also seemed that she had been beaten; her once beautiful face was now marred with bruises on her left cheek, her bottom lip busted, her left eye swollen and bruised.

“Hang in there, Red,” Peter said solemnly. “These bastards are gonna pay.”

Ray’s meter was starting to alert them to the Class 6 demons nearby. 

Egon gently placed a kiss on Janine’s forehead as he laid her back down on the ground. 

“Stay here,” he told her quietly. Through clenched teeth, he said, “We’re going to end this...NOW.”

The look on Egon’s face was indescribable - determination mixed with rage. His eyes were cold as steel. 

They each grasped their throwers, ready for battle.

As the guys approached the end of the tunnel, Ray’s PKE meter (which he had turned down the volume so as to not spoil their element of surprise), showed three Class 6 demons and one Class 7.

“The Class 7 must be the leader,” Ray whispered to Egon. 

Egon nodded in agreement. “Yes, and it’s mine,” he said, still clenching his teeth.

“Easy Big Guy,” Peter reminded him. “It’s gonna take all of us to bring that one down.” 

Peter placed a hand on Egon’s shoulder to steady him. He could count on one hand the number of times he’s ever seen Egon Spengler this mad. He could feel Egon’s body trembling with anger. He was running on pure adrenaline.

Winston had devised a plan. “Divide and conquer, guys,” he whispered. “Pete, you and Ray circle around back. Egon, you take the left and I’ll take the right.”

Egon looked Winston straight in the eye and said, “I’ll face it head on, distract it while you take the right.”

Winston started to argue, that it was a suicidal move, but he saw the look on Egon’s face. He knew that was a fight he couldn’t win. He glanced at Peter, then Ray. They both nodded. 

“Ok,” Winston conceded, “but no show dogging; straight to the point.”

“To the point is all I need,” Egon said coldly.

Egon stepped out in the open area of the tunnel. The demons didn’t look surprised.

“Well, well, Well...,” the Class 7, obviously the one in charge, taunted. “Finally, the infamous Ghostbusters, or at least one of them.”

It was a large, intimidating horned figure. It had long claws and huge fangs similar to the ones the Class 6 demons had. It was scaled all over like a snake, a deep blood red color. It’s eyes were gold and almost seemed to glow. It stood about seven feet tall; not easily as intimidating to Egon (since he’s roughly six feet, five inches himself). 

The other three demons were similar in looks but barely above six feet tall. They stood on the sidelines, waiting for the order to attack.

Egon gripped his thrower tightly, but kept a calm exterior. “I’m Dr. Egon Spengler. Who might you be?”

The demon snarled. “I am known by many names but I prefer Aperion.”

Egon stood his ground, trying to bide time for the others to get into position.

“What is your plan? Why have you come?” Egon asked.

Aperion liked to brag and, believing he had almost gotten what he wanted, he smirked. “I want to put an end to you and your team’s efforts of capturing and banishing fellow spirits. You have already captured four of my minions. I want them back.”

“I could say the same of you,” Egon calmly said. “You have a member of my team; I want her back.”

Aperion smiled. “Yes, she was a bit of a problem,” he hissed. “But you see, I no longer have her. She was a tough one.” He laughed. “I tried to make her tell me your secrets, how to gain access to your machine. But she could not be persuaded. Not even after my minions here hit her repeatedly. She took quite the beating.” His eyes glistened.

Egon’s grip on the proton thrower tightened, the veins in his temples standing out.

Aperion continued, “I thought for sure she would talk once I personally delivered the blow that broke her already fragile ribs. But, alas, she did not. And now, she is gone, broken free from her bonds. It must have caused her great agony since the ropes I used to bind her were very tight around her wrists. A pity, really; I was planning on having so much more fun with her.”

The way Aperion’s eyes shone when he said that made chills run down Egon’s spine. He was almost nauseous at the implications.

“Your minions at the club? Why such a place?” Egon asked.

Aperion smiled. “I know most men are easily swayed by attractive women in places like that. I thought it to be the easiest way to lure you all there.”

Egon smiled. From his vantage point, he could see that the others had successfully gotten into position without being detected.

“Your Time has come! NOW!” Egon shouted.

Egon and Winston both fired on Aperion, catching him in the streams.

Peter and Ray had opened fire on the others. Ray was able to hold two demons with one stream, quickly throwing out the trap. One of the two Ray was holding was drawn directly into the trap; He had aimed the trap directly underneath it, effectively pulling it in. He was able to lower the other one in right after.

Peter likewise was able to capture the third demon.

They both joined Egon and Winston to finish off Aperion. He was thrashing about wildly, screaming. He almost broke free but Egon increased the power on his thrower, pulling Aperion back in. The others followed suit, increasing the power on their throwers. Finally, Peter was able to throw out the trap, sliding it directly underneath Aperion. The bright white light of the trap pulled the demon inside, closing and sealing it inside.

Peter walked over to the trap, giving it a light tap with his foot.

“I’m known by many names too,” Peter yelled at the trap. “ but I prefer Dr. Venkman, you ASSHOLE!”

“Yeah! That’s for Janine!” Ray screamed.

They collected the traps and quickly ran back through the tunnel to Janine. It was imperative they get her to the hospital.

Egon had removed his pack and had knelt again by Janine. “Janine?” he quietly called her name. But there was no answer. Janine’s lifeless body was cold, hanging limply in Egon’s arms.

He turned to the others. “We’ve got to get her to a hospital! NOW!”


	7. Heaven Can Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janine is rushed to the hospital. But are they too late?

The siren on Ecto-1 blared through the air. Winston was driving as fast as he could. Egon held Janine tightly in his arms. She was unconscious and barely breathing. Every few minutes, she would wake up to cough, blood dripping from her mouth each time. She woke again, her eyes looking scared. She gasped for air, grabbing Egon’s arms. 

“Winston, hurry! She’s drowning in her own blood!” Egon shouted.

Peter, who was sitting next to Egon in the back, held a clean cloth over Janine’s mouth to catch the blood that dribbled. Winston keeps cloths in the car to keep it clean.

“Almost there!” Winston shouted back.

As soon as they pulled into the ER area, Ray hopped out, opening the back door. Peter jumped out, running to get a wheelchair and a nurse.

Egon hurried out, carrying Janine in his arms. Peter came back with a nurse and a gurney in tow. They got Janine settled and the nurse rushed her back to the ER exam area. More nurses were seen rushing in to help.

Two and a half hours passed before the guys were told any news on Janine’s condition. Finally, the doctor came into the waiting area. The guys jumped from their chairs, eager for news.

“I’m Dr. Robertson. Ms. Melnitz was severely dehydrated. She had a punctured lung as a result of one of the three cracked ribs that had broken. She had a few superficial cuts on her legs, the bruises on her face; those will heal. The lacerations on her wrists have been wrapped to prevent infection. What bothers me is the toll this experience has had on her mental health.”

Peter stepped forward. “You let me worry about that. I’m a trained psychologist. What’s her prognosis otherwise?”

Dr. Robertson smiled. “She’s one of the toughest women I’ve ever seen. She pulled through the surgery splendidly. I don’t foresee any problems.”

Egon asked, “Can we see her?” 

“Yes, this way,” Dr. Robertson said.

Janine had been moved to a regular room, and the nurse had her settled with IV fluids and antibiotics in place. 

Peter stuck his head in the door. “Hey Melnitz, hope you’re decent cause we’re coming in!” He teased. 

“Come on in, Dr. V,” Janine said, her voice hoarse from where the incubation tube had been placed during surgery.

Peter came in, followed closely by Winston, then Ray, and Egon coming in last. 

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Janine,” Winston said, giving her a wink.

Janine smiled back. 

Ray stepped over, giving her a gentle hug. “Great to see you, Janine,” he said.

Janine hugged him back, being careful of the IVs.

Finally, the three Busters stepped back, allowing Egon space to come over.

Janine smiled weakly, hoping Egon would step closer. She so badly wanted him to hold her. “I’m not gonna bite, Egon,” she said casually.

Egon walked over to the bed, sitting carefully on the edge. He gently took her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. 

“I was afraid I’d lost you,” he said quietly, tears forming in his eyes, his voice cracking.

Tears rolled down Janine’s cheeks. “I did, too.” she whispered. “All I could think was I had to keep going, I had to get back to you guys.”

Janine broke down into tears, sobbing out loud. Egon pulled her gently to his chest, hugging her lightly. Peter, Ray and Winston also stepped over, carefully surrounding her in a group hug. 

They stayed in the huddle for several minutes, allowing Janine to cry out her fear and pain. Finally, she calmed down, the pain medication the nurse had given her earlier kicking in.

Egon eased Janine back down onto the pillow. Quietly, they all stepped out as she sank into a well deserved sleep.

They stayed in the waiting area, refusing to go home after visiting hours. Winston and Ray had fallen asleep in the chairs. Peter watched Egon as he stared out the window.

“What’s on your mind, Spengs?” Peter asked.

Egon looked at Peter, a worried look on his face. “I can’t get something out of my mind,” he said quietly. 

“What?” Peter asked.

“Aperion said something that implied that, if Janine hadn’t have escaped, he would have had fun with her,” Egon said slowly, feeling a wave of nausea come over him at the thought.

Peter’s face twisted. “Yeah, I heard that. You don’t think she was.....?” Peter couldn’t bring himself to say the word.

“Violated?” Egon said it for him.

Peter said, “We can find out from the doctor.”

Dr. Robertson was making his nightly rounds before going off duty. He stepped in to check on Janine. Egon was waiting just outside the room.

As Dr. Robertson was coming out, Egon stepped up to speak with him. 

“Dr. Robertson, I don’t know how to say this tactfully. But we know Janine suffered from several types of wounds. Were there any signs of....ahem....of.....violation?”

Dr. Robertson looked at Egon sternly. “Normally, I wouldn’t say without my patient’s permission but Ms. Melnitz has listed you as being one of the people I’m allowed to talk to. No, Dr. Spengler, she was not raped.” He then gave Egon a smile.

He then added, “She’s very fortunate to have people like you gentlemen in her life.”

Egon smiled. “No,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have her in ours.”

~~~~~  
Early the next morning, Ray had gathered some muffins and bagels from the hospital’s cafeteria along with some coffee for everyone.

They sat in the waiting area eating while the nurse was checking Janine’s vitals and switching out the IV fluids.

Ray was the first to speak. “Do you think she’s gonna come back? To work for us?”

They all exchanged looks. 

“Why wouldn’t she?” Winston asked, trying to sound casual.

“She’s been through hell. She’s put up with a lot of stuff over the years working for us. What if she’s had enough?” Ray asked.

“Nah, she’s tough,” Peter said. “Besides, she loves us too much to quit.” He glanced over at Egon, giving a wink.

Egon blushed and just smiled.

A few minutes later, the guys were allowed to go in to see Janine. She could tell something was bothering them. Being the straight forward woman she is, she jumped right in.

“Alright, out with it,” she said, her voice still a bit hoarse.

They all tried to put on an innocent face, Ray failing more than the rest. 

“What do you mean?” Ray asked.

“Oh come on,” Janine said. “I’ve been working for you guys long enough to tell when something’s on your mind. Out with it!”

“That’s just it,” Winston said. “How much longer are you gonna work for us?”

Janine smiled, a small twinkle shining in her eyes. “As long as I have breath in my body, I’m gonna be at that desk. It takes more than this to keep me down,” she said as she motioned to the IV cord. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Peter grinned and spoke up. “See, I told you!” He looked at Janine and gave her a playful wink.

“Besides,” Janine said, “you’d never be able to find another secretary willing to put up with all your shit.”

She laughed, the guys joining in with her.

Janine finally managed to talk the guys into going back to the Firehouse to get some real rest and real food. All except Egon. He refused to leave until she was released. She didn’t argue. 

Another day passed and Janine was cleared and released from the hospital. The guys stuck to her like glue, making sure she was ok. 

The best part of this ordeal was that Egon had finally admitted to Janine that he was in love with her. They had already planned their first date for that Friday night. 

Janine proved that she was tougher than they all thought possible.


End file.
